Can opener



P 18, 1934- E. 1.. BENEDICT 1,974,404

CAN OPENER Filed Nov. 11; 1952 Patented Sept. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,974,404 CAN OPENER Edward L. Benedict, Oakmont, Pa., assignor of one-half to Harry D. Stone, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application November 11, 1932, Serial No. 642,223

Claims. (01. 22123) My invention relates to can openers, and more particularly to an opener for tin cans, which has a pouring spout or funnel formed integrally therewith.

5 One object of my invention is to provide an opener and dispensing device of such form that the cans which have been opened by the device are cut to such an extent that the contents thereof can be readily discharged, and the cans are to all. practical purposes destroyed and re-use manner than is possible by various types of can openers heretofore employed.

While the invention may be employed on containers for various types of material, it will be especially useful at oil-filling stations, in the dispensing of trade-marked oil from sealed cans. As hereinafter described, when a can has been opened and the contents thereof discharged, it would be impossible for the can to be refilled with an inferior oil without the deception becoming apparent.

Some of the forms which my invention may take are shown in the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a plan View of a can with my opening and pouring device applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof; Fig. 3

is a bottom plan view of a portion of the structure of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 shows a modification of the structure of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 shows still another modification.

' The can which is to be opened is indicated by the numeral 6. A pull bar 7 is adapted to lie against one side of a can and carries at its lower end a prong or punch 8 that is adapted to be forced into the bottom of the can and provide a 4'5 vent hole, as hereinafter explained.

The opening at 13 is, of course, much larger than the vent opening at 8, and the blade 12 may be made of a considerable size so that the contents of the can can be discharged quickly. A spout or funnel 14 is carried by the plate 9, to receive the contents which are discharged through the opening at 13 when the can is tilted. The operator, by looking through the opening 15 at the base of the spout is able to see when flow to the spout is stopped, and the can is empty.

With the pull bar 7 in the position shown in Fig. 2, and with the plate 9 elevated at its right hand end, a pull downwardly on the Spent 14 to bring the plate 9 to a horizontal position will cause the prong 8 to puncture the bottom ofthe can and the blade 12 to cut a pouring opening therein, without very great exertion by the operator, because of the leverage afforded by the spout 14. The bar '7 and a spring clip 16 will hold the base firmly to the top of the can while pouring.

In Fig. 4, I show a modification wherein a pull bar 17 corresponds to the bar 7, but in this form of structure a thumb-actuated punch 13 is provided to puncture the bottom of the can. This punch is slidably supported in an extension 19 of the pull rod and is normally held in its outward position by a spring 20. When the punch 18 is depressed to puncture the can and then released, the spring 20 will move it outwardly to permit air to enter the can. The extension 19 could, of course, be dispensed with if desired, and the punch carried entirely by the spring 20.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that when a discharge opening has been cut in the top of the can, and the bottom of the can punctured, the contents thereof must be discharged at once to prevent loss of the oil, or other contents, and that the can cannot be readily refilled and used over again, without detection.

It will also be seen that the punching of a vent hole in the bottom of the can greatly facilitates discharge of the contents thereof, as compared to those structures wherein the discharge openings and the vent are both made in the top of the can. The can of Figs. 2 and 4 can be turned to fully inverted position, if desired, and air can then enter the vent hole, without having to bubble through any of the liquid in the can. This feature is particularly desirable where viscous material such as oil is concerned- Referring now to Fig. 5, I show a structure wherein a base plate or bar 22 carries a neck-like extension 23 that is provided with an air vent 24. A funnel 25 of glass or other suitable material is carried by the neck 23, and has screw-threaded connection therewith, so that it may be readily replaced in case of breakage.

The base plate 22 carries a vent hole punch 26 and a cutting knife 27. The knife 27 may be substantially of the form of the knife 12. The cutting members 26 and 27 are both inclined forwardly and inwardly, so that when the shoulder or flange 23a of the cap neck 23 is placed in a tilted position against the can at A, and the spout 25 then swung to the left, the cutting devices 26 and 27 will be gradually pushed through the top of the can, and not so great a force will be required as if the spout and the cutters were moved against the head of the can in a direction parallel to the axis thereof.

It will, of course, be understood that a glass spout such as the spout 25 could be substituted for the spout 14 of Fig. 2.

I claim as my invention:-

1. A can opened comprising a base movable into position against one end of a can, an inwardly-extending blade carried by said base, a puncturing device positioned to engage the other end of the can, a pull bar having connection with said device and pivotal connection with the said base, and a camming device carried by the base, for engaging the first-named top of the can, When the base is moved to operative position, to eiiect penetration of the can by the said puncturing devlce.

2. A can opener comprising a base movable into position against one end of a can, an inwardly-extending blade carried by said base, a pull bar having pivotal connection with said base and hooked engagement with the can at the other end of the can, and a spring clip carried by the base in position to yieldably engage the corner of the can at a point opposite to the said point of pivotal connection.

3. A can opener comprising a base member movable into position against one end of a can, an inwardly-extending cutting device carried by said member, a member adapted to extend alongside the can, toward the other end thereof and having pivotal connection with the first-named member, a cutting device connected to the second-named member and positioned to be engaged by the other end of the can, and an inwardlyextending cam lug on the first-named member,

in position to engage the can and force it against the second-named cutting device when the base member is swung inwardly toward the firstnamed end of the can.

4. A can opener comprising a base plate movable into position against one end of a can and provided with an opening, a pull bar engaging the opposite end of the can and having pivotal connection with said plate, a cam lug carried by the plate and positioned to engage one side of the can, to serve as a fulcrum for the plate, an inwardly-extending blade secured to the inner side of the plate, adjacent to the opposite side of the can and disposed below said opening, and a pouring spout having its inner end secured to the said plate and surrounding the said opening.

5. A can opener comprising a base plate movable into position against one end of a can and provided with an opening, a pull bar engaging the opposite end of the can and havin pivotal oennection with said plate, a cam lug carried by the plate and positioned to engage one side of the can, to serve a fulcrum for the plate, an inwardly-extending blade secured to the inner side of the plate, adjacent to the opposite side of the can and below said opening, and a pouring spout having its inner end secured to the said plate and surrounding the said opening, the blade being inclined from its point of attachment toward the opposite side of the can.

EDWARD L. BENEDICT. 

